The Ugliest Planted Tank Award!

I'm about ready to toss the plants out and just grow algae since it does so well for me. I went from the diatoms (I guess. Brown and slimy that I could wipe off.) To just brown spots that don't wipe off and now I have green spot algae that I have to scrap off with a razor blade.

I have a 20 gallon with 28 watts compact light so stuck with crypts and java fern. Stuck a couple amazon in that is dying, of course, but crypts are fine. Not doing anything but not dying either. Java Fern is finally taking off after four months!

I have CO2 and use Plant Tabs. Also use a phosphate/silicate reducer which has dropped phosphate levels from 2 to .50.

Ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and have not tested for nitrates but doing water changes every other day so I know those are low.

I was thinking I might need to increase lights but don't want to kill the crypts with too much either. I could put a 65 watt on this tank that will get the swords to grow but they will probably kill the crypts.

This tank is ugly and never looks clean. My tanks are all crystal clear but this tank always has crap floating around in it......food or algae particles or pieces of plants. This morning the wood was green.

So.......what now?

Flourish, Flourish Excel, Flourish Iron, Flourish Phosphorus (not this one) Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Trace, Flourish Potassium.......yadda, dadda, and how do you know which one you need?